Hey guys! This is Tyler. Just wanted to give a quick update on all that God is doing in and through the group this week. Our God is living and active, and his work is readily apparent in all that we have seen. Today was a day that personally I have been preparing for, yet was blown away by a variety of emotions, thoughts, and prayers that just wouldn't leave my mind. I was able to visit the dump today, and I have never seen such abject poverty in my life. These are the people all the statistics are about. Words cannot adequately describe the sights, sounds, smells, and spiritual warfare that just was unlike anything I've ever experienced. I've seen things on TV and heard stories, but to walk into a home smaller than my bedroom made of tarp and tin sheets that houses 5 people is just an image that will never leave you. We were able to share with a woman named Judy who is caring for her sister's kids. Her sister (named Flor) lost her husband during the storm at the dump, and they have no source of income whatsoever anymore. Judy was not a believer, but to be able to speak Christ into her life is a seed that hopefully he will water to fruition later by His grace. One glimmer of hope we saw that just floored me was a girl who makes jewelry at Tabitha house named Beatriz. She lives in the dump and is no better than anyone else, but she has recently taken in a woman with two kids who lost her home as well as a 16 year old kid who has been sexually abused and running from the gang. Her husband is an alcoholic that wastes all his income, and so she is giving up her home and comfort to serve these people and show them Christ as a believer. What incredible faith! What an incredible example! We were able to pray with her and encourage her, but she encouraged us in an incredible way. As I said, this poverty is unlike anything else. This is poverty plus sexual and physical abuse, prostitution, drugs, alcohol, gang violence, and murder. These people are under the attack of the evil one, and only Christ and his light can penetrate such thick darkness. Something very strong that we talked about is that we will never completely change the dump. We will never build enough houses or give enough food bags. But we can change the lives of the people at the dump for all of eternity. So we preach Christ and nothing else. When we see kids who have been given crack and alcohol since they were babies and cannot speak or comprehend things at 5 years old, we preach Christ. When we go to perhaps the most dangerous place in all of Guatemala not knowing what will happen, we preach Christ. When we see Satan do everything in his power to blind others and keep them slaves to their sin, we preach Christ. For we are not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation for all who believe. As we saw with Beatriz, God is still living and active. He is in control despite what we see and think sometimes. And so now we as a group are responsible for what we have seen. Two weeks ago I was not coming on this trip. God has been sovereign in allowing me to join Him in his work, and now I must go to college in the fall and live my life with those kids and this place in my mind. I must set my eyes on Christ in all, and above all, we must pray people of God! I feel like God has been closer to me than ever before. Not so much a spiritual high as much as God's continuing presence as he has helped me to Abide in Him. It makes me wonder how I could ever not think or not expect God to walk with me as he did Adam and Eve in the garden. Oh taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who finds refuge in Him! I love this group, I love the interns and everyone else and praise God for their work this week. I have been filled to the brim with thoughts and emotions, and am still trying to process it all! Continue to pray for God's work in VBS the rest of this week and for unified effort to see God raise up leaders in Guatemala who will change lives for his glory! Dios le Bendiga and Adios!
